Man carries gun into community center to protest ban

MONICA GUZMAN and SCOTT SUND, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

By MONICA GUZMAN and SCOTT SUNDE, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Updated 10:00 pm, Friday, November 13, 2009

Bob Warden of Kent, left, and Jason Emm pose with their pistols for news crews in front of Southwest Community Center in West Seattle on Saturday, Nov. 14. (Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com)
Photo: Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com

Bob Warden of Kent, left, and Jason Emm pose with their pistols for...

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A Kent man who announced Friday that he intended to carry a pistol into a West Seattle community center to trigger a lawsuit challenging Seattle's ban on guns in public spaces did just that Saturday, and was promptly asked to leave.

Bob Warden, 44, announced his intentions in an e-mail Friday morning to media as well as to the city of Seattle, including the police and city attorney.

"I'm not here as a Second Amendment activist," Warden said. "I'm here as a citizen who believes in the rule of law."

Warden, who said he's never discharged a weapon outside a firing range, added that the idea occurred to him in the past couple of days.

Media, Seattle Police and a handful of supporters were on hand. Warden sent out an e-mail Friday announcing his intentions.

"As a courtesy, this is advance notice that at noon tomorrow, Saturday, November 14, I plan to exercise my legal right to bear arms in Seattle's Southwest Community Center, 2801 SW Thistle Street," Warden said in his e-mail. "I will be safely and securely carrying my holstered Glock pistol. I have a current valid State of Washington License to Carry Concealed."

"I'm glad he is doing it," Shasteen said. "I'm sorry I didn't think of it. I'd have done it myself."

Alex Kaehler, 16, and his sister, Jeanmarie Kaehler, 20, were also on hand to support the move. Neither owns a weapon, but both said they want to.

"The mayor was definitely way out of line when he passed the law," said Alex Kaehler, who lives in SeaTac. "I'm glad somebody is challenging him."

Mayor Greg Nickels said the ban is intended to protect children. Warden objected to that reasoning.

"Nickels has never presented any evidence to suggest how responsible concealed-weapon carrying is a threat to children in a park," Warden said.

Nickels said on Oct. 14 that guns would be banned on such city facilities as parks and community centers where children gather. Signs banning guns have been posted at city parks.

Late last month, gun-rights advocates sued, saying the ban violates state law.

But Warden, a licensed attorney in the state, said Friday he worries that the earlier lawsuit may be thrown out because those who filed it lack legal standing.

Warden said he does not actively practice law. He said he works in labor relations for the federal government but would not describe his job further.

He said he is taking the action because he believes the ban is illegal. He noted that the state Attorney General's Office has said so.

"They know full well it's illegal, but they went ahead and did it anyway," Warden said Friday.

Warden described himself as a political independent, but a man who has probably voted for only two Republicans in his life.

He said he is not a member of the National Rifle Association, but was certified by that organization as a pistol instructor. He said he uses the certification in his volunteer work with the Boy Scouts.